All set for the 4th EAC World Kiswahili Language Day in Kigali, Rwanda
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 3rd July, 2025: Preparations are in high gear for the 4th EAC World Kiswahili Language Day scheduled for 6th and 7th July, 2025 in Kigali, Republic of Rwanda.`
The two-day event convened under the theme; Kiswahili, Inclusive Education and Sustainable Development aims to celebrate and promote the Kiswahili language as a vital tool for regional unity, cultural exchange, and development within the East African Community.
The objective of the 4th EAC World Kiswahili Language Day is to provide a platform for Partner States, development partners and other Kiswahili stakeholders to interrogate the relationship between Kiswahili, inclusive education, and sustainable development.
The celebrations, organised by the East African Community (EAC) together with the Republic of Rwanda as a host, will bring together Government representatives from the EAC Partner States; Academia; Media personnel; Authors, publishers and distributors of Kiswahili materials; civil society, private sector; youth groups and representatives of EAC Organs and Instltutions.
Speaking ahead of the celebrations of the EAC World Kiswahili Language Day celebrations, the EAC Secretary General H.E Veronica Nduva expressed enthusiasm about the significance of Kiswahili in strengthening regional ties.
“Kiswahili is not just a language but a bridge that unites our diverse communities across the East African region. Its promotion aligns with our broader goals of fostering unity, economic integration, and shared cultural identity among Partner States,” said the Secretary General.
“We are delighted to host the 4th EAC World Kiswahili Language Day in Kigali and look forward to vibrant celebrations that highlight the beauty and importance of Kiswahili,” she added.
The Secretary General further emphasised the EAC’s commitment to promoting Kiswahili as an official language of the region, urging Partner States to continue investing in its dissemination and teaching at all levels of education.
The celebrations of 4th EAC Kiswahili Language Day will feature Panel discussions; Youth mentorship and engagements with other stakeholders; Media engagement; Cultural performances; Exhibitions and Awareness creation activities all aimed at exhibiting Kiswahili as a for inclusive education and sustainable development for the region.
Notes to Editors:
The day 7th July was declared as World Kiswahili Language Day by the 41st General Conference of UNESCO in November 2021. Subsequently, the 42nd Meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers adopted the declaration of 7th July as World Kiswahili Language Day and directed that it be celebrated annually on a rotational basis among the EAC Partner States.
The 1st EAC World Kiswahili Language Day was held in Zanzibar from 6th – 7th July, 2022. The 2nd EAC World Kiswahili Day was held in Kampala, Uganda from 5th – 7th July, 2023, while the 3rd EAC World Kiswahili Day was held in Mombasa, Republic of Kenya from 5th – 7th July, 2024.
For more information please contact:
Florian Mutabazi
Media Coordinator
Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 785288428
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of eight (8) Partner States, comprising the Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The Federal Republic of Somalia was admitted into the EAC bloc by the Summit of EAC Heads of State on 24th November, 2023 and became a full member on 4th March, 2024.